Remove a Sliding Glass Door

Sliding glass doors can get scratched or otherwise damaged in the course of regular use, so sometimes it makes sense to pull them off for maintenance, cleaning, or repair. Removing a glass door requires different methods and materials than taking off conventional swinging doors. Here are five steps you can use to pop off and replace your door without damaging it or scuffing up the surrounding area.

Step 1 - Protect Your Floor

Sliding glass doors are heavy and have sharp edges on the bottom, which can scar a floor surface if the door is set down too hard on the floor. To protect the floor, you should lay a piece of heavy cardboard, a blanket, or a mat with anti-slip coating underneath it on the floor where you plan to stand your door once you remove it from its frame.

Step 2 - Remove the Screen Door

Holding both edges of the screen door, raise the door until the bottom rollers clear the track, and then pull the bottom of the door toward you. If you cannot raise the door far enough for the rollers to clear the track, place the front edge of a flathead screwdriver or pry bar under the rollers and pry upward. You may need to pry both ends of the door up for it to clear the track. To remove the door, pull it toward you.

Step 3 - Remove the Stationary Glass Door

Viewed from inside, the stationary glass door is located behind the sliding section. Standing outside the door, remove the threshold and unscrew the top, center, and bottom brackets from the frame. Slide the stationary door slightly towards the center to clear the frame's side retaining groove, and have someone help you lift the door, then pull the bottom of the door outward toward you and away from the lower track until the top of the door clears the upper track. Place the door safely and out of the work area.

Step 4 - Remove the Sliding Door

You'll find the sliding door easier to lift from its track if you slide it toward the center of the track to where you'll see a slight indent in the bottom track to ease removal. This door will be heavy and may require you to use a sturdy pry bar to lift it enough for it to clear the track it's in. If you can't lift the door high enough to clear the track, locate the holes on the edges of the door at the bottom, where the adjustment screws for the rollers are located.

There may be plastic plugs over the holes at the bottom of the door, which you can easily remove with a flat screwdriver, which once removed will give you access to loosen both adjustment screws with a Phillips screwdriver pulling the rollers up and out of the way. You should now be able to freely lift the sliding glass door out of the track and out of the frame. Get your partner to help you store it somewhere out of arm's way until you need to put it back in.

Step 5 - Don't Use Excessive Force

If the door should get stuck and too difficult to move further during the process, don't try to force it or pry it out if it doesn't want to come out or move at all—give the professionals a call instead. Forcing it unnecessarily would only result in cracking or breaking the glass, breaking the track, or even the PVC frame.